Alion to help Navy develop unmanned weapon systems

By William Welsh

Nov 27, 2012

Alion will assist the Navy in evaluating and developing unmanned and automated weapon systems that will be used to protect the service's surface fleet and amphibious forces under a $24 million contract, the company said in November.

Under the contract, Alion will furnish technical engineering designed to enhance unmanned and automated weapon systems capabilities for such tasks as outfitting payloads on commercial, off-the-shelf or existing nondevelopmental unmanned underwater vehicles with limited modifications, the company said.

The work for the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) is expected to cover unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, the company said.

The work on prototype systems and individual capabilities will be done for the Navy, Coast Guard, Homeland Security Department and joint services and will involve various types of weapon platforms, warships, experimental boats, explosive ordnance disposal craft and shore-based facilities, the company said.

NSWC PCD supports research development test and evaluation for weapon systems development associated with mine warfare, naval special warfare and amphibious/expeditionary maneuver warfare systems and other littoral missions, the company said.

The contract expires in September 2015, the company said.

About the Author

William Welsh is a freelance writer covering IT and defense technology.